Lost Knight
by WizardWriter86
Summary: When a startling revelation destroys all aspects of “black and white”, Anakin is forced into decisions that will decide his destiny. Only the “Chosen One” can save the world, but what if he doesn’t survive? Slight AU R
1. Prologue

_Prologue_

"If you run, I will let you live."

Bruised and bloodied, he ran. _Coward, _his brazen mind scolded him. _Dead men can't save the world, _the more reasonable voice countered.

Why had this happened? Where had he gone wrong? He was the "chosen one". This wasn't supposed to happen. Not like this.

The ground crumbled beneath his feet, as he staggered across the plain. Despite the promise that running would spare his life, he knew better. Assassins were would soon be tracking him..

His mind reeled, recalling the events that had brought him to this.

"_I should kill you now! I will kill you now!" he had bellowed, holding the glowing blue blade to Palpatine's throat. _

_Palpatine was frighteningly calm, "Why?"_

"_You're a SITH LORD!"_

"_I am," he said simply. "but I am your friend."_

From that moment on, the daze he had lived in for the past week thickened. Palpatine spun a confusing picture. His friend and mentor was a Sith Lord. Suddenly there was no black and white. Palpatine was the Enemy, but he was also the only one that could hold the Republic together, and, more importantly, he was the only one that could save Padmé.

Memory blurred then. He remembered stumbling into the temple. He remembered telling Mace Windu about Palpatine. He remember watching the Masters leave to arrest the Sith, to arrest Palpatine, his friend. His thoughts had spun then, reeling and confusing. He felt sick. He felt lost. Only one thing in life had ever been certain, Padmé. If he lost her . . .

That's when he'd made a choice. Taking up his speeder, he'd hurried to the Chancellor. What was waiting for him in Palpatine's office nearly made him retch. Three masters were dead, strewn across the floor.

Against the backdrop of the huge window, Mace was battling Palpatine. And Palpatine- there was . . . lightening coming from his fingers. Mace was bending it back to him, burning the Sith's face. What was this power?

"Anakin!" Palpatine called. "Anakin, he's killing me!"

"Anakin," Mace called, "You are the chosen one. It is your destiny to defeat him. Strike him down!"

"No," Anakin stammered. "We have to arrest him. He has to go to trail."

Mace shook his head, "He controls the courts, we have to kill him now."

"It's an assassination!" Palpatine shouted, "Kill the traitor, Anakin. Kill him! I'm weakening. I can't hold on."

"You Sith disease-" Mace snarled.

"I'm weakening Anakin," Palpatine called, "save me."

"Stop, Mace!" Anakin shouted. "I need him. I need him to save Padmé!"

In the heat of battle, Mace didn't think all the way through that statement. All he heard was Sith and save, in the same sentence. "You think a Sith is capable of saving life! Anakin, Think! They can only destroy it!"

Anakin stood frozen. A simple truth had paralyzed the "Hero without Fear." How could he have been so blind? How could he have considered-

Palpatine had felt the doubt in Anakin, and he suddenly roared to life. With strength Mace had doubted the Sith had, Palpatine sent another wave of lightening, knocking the saber from Mace and sending him flying to his death through the shattered window.

"NO!" Anakin cried out. "What have I done! I could have saved him!"

"FOOL!" Palpatine roared. "You will die."

Lightening shot out toward Anakin, but his reflexes brought his blade up to deflect it. Anakin couldn't even recall having ignited it. The battle when on and on, Palpatine would stop at nothing to destroy him.

Anakin had tried to escape down a turbo lift, but Palpatine had pursued. In the underbelly of abandoned tunnels beneath the city, Anakin and Palpatine fought. The "chosen one" battled not for the fate of the universe, but for his own life.

Then it happened, a blast of pain shot through him, as the Sith Lord struck him with the lightening. Anakin couldn't feel his feet against the ground. Then, feeling the wall slam hard against his back, he understood why. Palpatine had thrown him back. Now lying crumpled against the wall, there was no escape.

Palpatine unleashed his fury, and with every blast of lightening, Anakin felt the life draining out of him. He gritted his teeth and tried to find his strength, but it was gone.

Suddenly, everything stopped. Anakin thought maybe he was dead, until a dry voice said, "If you run, I will let you live."

Now, lost somewhere in the tunnels, Anakin collapsed, falling back against the cold wall with no strength left. He wouldn't make it another step. He was gasping for breath and willing the pain to subside. He closed his eyes and listened, trying to hear if he had been followed. He considered stretching out through the force, but that would only betray his location to anyone that might be hunting him.

After what seemed like hours, he tried to get up, only to wince in pain. He had to get out of there. Gazing down the way he had come, he saw only shadows. He tried once again to rise but couldn't. Looking down the path before him, he saw nothing but darkness. He couldn't escape it.


	2. Lost

_Lost_

_Sidius brooded in his quarters. His best laid plans had failed. Anakin wasn't ready. He had thought Dooku was the final test. When Anakin had killed a defenseless enemy, that should have been the last step. _

_No, perhaps Skywalker needed more time to stew. Living as a slave and loosing his mother hadn't been enough. Something still held him back. In order for the new apprentice to rise as a Sith, Sidious would have to crush his former identity. Anakin Skywalker, the Jedi, had to die, if Lord Vader, Sidious' new apprentice were to ever exist._

_Anakin Skywalker had stood apart from the Jedi in one extraordinary way. He had loyalties for individuals, people that he loved. That was his weakness. "How does one destroy an invincible foe?" Sidious cackled to himself. "Crush that which matters most to him. Without a cause, he will perish." _

_He had underestimated Skywalker's strength. But it was no real concern. He would just have to escalate his plans._

Crumpled and broken, Anakin drew a deep breath. Taking in air hurt, but one can't survive without breathingStraining against the pain, Anakin forced himself to sit up. _I have to get out of here._ Stretching out through the force, he felt nothing, no pursuers but also no help. Summoning up what strength he could, he managed to get to his feet.

Leaning heavily against the wall of the tunnel, he took one step and then another. He was lost, he knew, but to remain still was to sentence himself to death.

Weak and exhausted, he stumbled on to turbo lift, which brought him to the surface somewhere in the middle of the Works. The old rundown industrial side of Coruscant was the last place he had hoped to end up.

He made it to an alleyway before his legs gave out. It didn't matter. Jedi or not, he was human, and a human can only endure so much pain and exhaustion. _Help me! _he screamed in the Force. _Some one help me!_

A cloaked figure sat at the far side of the ally, watching the as the young Jedi lie shivering on the ground.


	3. A Questioned Fate

_A Questioned Fate_

Shaak Ti, still at the Jedi Temple, had felt the death of the Masters through the Force. Times like these, it was hard to let go, hard to allow her friends to pass out of her life. She was a jedi and was allowed no attachments, but grief is a strong emotion to suppress, even for a jedi.

Pacing about the council chamber, she asked the Force what to do. Should she go after Palpatine herself? But who would watch over the temple, especially with so many Masters off-world.

It was then that she realized, that something was wrong. She remembered the incident that had occurred only hours before.

"_Anakin," she said, patiently, catching the young Jedi's arm. "Mace asked you to wait in the Temple Chamber."_

_He looked back at her, and she saw in his eyes hurt and such anguish. Through the force, she felt it. He was suffering, his soul was in turmoil. "Please, Anakin."_

"_I can't stay. I have to go to Palpatine. I'm the "chosen one", remember?"_

"_The best Masters in the Order have gone. You place is here."_

"_No, my place is there." He had said, determined, but she sensed his doubt and his fear. _

"_What could you possibly do?" _

"_I will do," he said, forcing a brave answer, "what I am meant to do."_

On the wooded planet of Kashyyyk, Yoda received the coded message. "Master Yoda," Shaak Ti began. "I am sure that you know of the fate of Master Windu and those that accompanied him."

Yoda nodded, feeling the burden of his long years. "I have." Then he looked back at the holo image of Master Ti. "But there is more, is there not?"

"Yes, Master Yoda," she began tentatively, "Anakin went after them, and he has not returned."

Yoda clenched his eyes shut, "Alive, he is, but in terrible pain."

"Do you know where he is?"

Yoda shook his head gravely. "No." He looked back at Shaak Ti, knowing that she had no idea where to look for young Skywalker. "Our weakness of many years . . . resolved, has not been. Cloud everything, the dark side does."

_The cloaked figure shifted, seeing that Anakin Skywalker was too weak to rise. Slowly he rose and went to stand over the fallen man._

_Anakin looked up at him, fighting the fear that was born out of helplessness._

_"I know who you are," the cloaked voice said, old and rasping. "You are the Hero with no Fear."_

_Kneeling down, the shadowed face peered at the Jedi, "We shall see how true that is."_

Anakin opened his eyes with a start. The cloaked figure was gone, everything was gone. A dream, it was all a dream. He was still shivering, but more violently, trembling. No, the Hero with no Fear, that was the one thing that he was not. The Holo-net may have called him that. Younglings all over the galaxy may have thought that. But Anakin knew the truth. A deep fear had always lived within him. That is what he had to escape. Fear. But how could he destroy that which drove everything he did.

He looked around him. The alley was deserted, and the adjacent street was empty. He was the only living thing in sight. Above him, darkness had taken hold of the sky.

"_Master?" a young Anakin had pulled at Obi-Wan's tunic, "Can a man change his fate? Or are you doomed to end up whatever the Force wants you to be?"_

_Obi-Wan had thought for a moment. Force, he didn't always feel qualified for this job, especially with a student like Anakin. With a sigh he said, "That is a question that many have debated. Ask five masters, and you will get five different answers."_

"_But what do you think, Master Obi-Wan?"_

_Obi-Wan considered. Finally he leaned forward, speaking quietly and very seriously to the young padawan. "I believe, Anakin, that every person in the universe is born with a purpose, a destiny. There is some great potential in all of us. However, you are not 'doomed' to this purpose. Your CHOICES are what shape your destiny. The decisions you make will determine if you fulfill your purpose . . . or if you fail." _

In the cold alley, Anakin felt tears run down his cheeks. _I can't do this. I have failed. I failed them all. Master Windu, Obi-Wan, Yoda. . . . Padmé." _He clenched his eyes shut, willing the tears to stop. He realized that there was nothing left to do. If the "chosen one" failed, who would take his place? What happened now?

Stiffly, he rose and forced himself to move. Night would soon cover everything, and he had to find a place, a placewhere he would not be left in darkness.


	4. A Rippling Effect

_A Rippling Effect_

Anakin moved stiffly down the street, toward the populated end of Coruscant. Leaving the Works behind him, he found himself at the doorway of a tavern. Anakin had never lingered in such places voluntarily. It reminded him of cantinas on Tatooine, and anything that reminded him of that forsaken place, he rejected.

Now, necessity drove away all feelings of malice toward the throng of thugs that populated such places. Anakin needed a drink, possibly some food and definitely a chair.

It had occurred to him that he should return to the Temple, but the last thing he wanted was to endanger his friends. Besides, who could really help him anyway? The man he trusted like a brother, Obi-Wan Kenobi, was far away on Utapau.

…..

_A call had come through to Commander Cody on Utapau, from the Chancellor himself. "Kill Master Kenobi. He has been found to be a traitor of the Republic."_

_Though he didn't understand this stranger order, it was not in a Clone's nature to disobey. "Yes, sir." He did as he was commanded._

_Anakin!_ Obi-Wan's eyes opened, but they were sightless. Well, not totally sightless. He did see a huge blue blur surrounding him on all sides. _Curious, _he thought. _Where am I?_

A burning sensation in his lungs told him. _Oh right_. An assassination attempt had thrown him head long into the watery base of the sinkhole, and he was still underwater. Taking the rebreather and a small compressed-air container from his belt, he filled his lungs with much needed air. That finished, he had to decide what to do next.

Lying there in the water, he just let the currents carry him. Where they were taking him he didn't know. He faded in and out of consciousness. Each startled awakening always brought the name of his former padawan to mind. Something terrible had happened.

Finally coming to with clear possession of his mind, Obi-Wan tried to assess his surroundings. He was at the surface of the water, but all around him was dark. It wasn't like nightfall, it was another kind of darkness.

"Where am I?" he asked, only have his voice echo against hidden walls. Drawing his lightsaber from his belt, he ignited it, using the glow to illuminate his surroundings.

The grotto was huge, and for a moment, it appeared that the only way in or out was beneath the surface. Then his eyes caught sight of an air vent, high on the ceiling. He would have to climb the far wall to reach it. "Oh perfect," he said to himself. "This day just couldn't get any worse."

…..

Pacing the length of her veranda, Padmé Amidala Skywalker, known to the universe as Senator Amidala, worried for her husband. He hadn't been himself lately. She knew he was under an extreme amount of pressure. Civilian, warrior and politician had long thought that Anakin would bring an end to this war. Added to this pressure was the dissention between Palpatine and the Jedi Masters.

Anakin had swayed, torn between loyalties. She had witnessed it herself. To top it all off was his crazy dream about her death. He said only that she'd died in childbirth. Further description had revealed what he truly saw. He had seen her crying out for him and there was the sound of a crying baby.

Could that not be interpreted in other ways? She had joked, telling him that in the dream, her eyes were watering from the baby's diapers. She was crying out for him to come and take care of it.

He hadn't found it funny. He had become more agitated, and had blurted a foolish promise. He wasn't going to lose her. He would find a way to save her. Since then he seemed to be driven by nothing else.

With an exhausted sigh, she allowed herself to sink down to one of the chairs. Reclining there, she gazed out at the stars. _Oh, Anakin, where are you? Why haven't you come back?_

……

Obi-Wan, by way of the air-vent, had come to a large landing platform in the wall of the sinkhole. Whatever plights might still plague Utapau, he had to leave. He was needed on Coruscant. Something terrible was about to happen, but maybe he could prevent it.


	5. Into the Night

_Into the Night_

In the darkest corner of the pub, Anakin sat. His head resting in his hands and his elbows on the table, he gave into thought. Before him was some half-eaten food dish and a glass of some kind of drink, but he didn't even have the strength to eat.

"What am I going to do?" He asked, his face still in his hands. _Obi-Wan never gave me a what-to-do-if-the-sith-lord-almost-kills-you-but-let's-you-live speech. _

It was troubling. Sith lords did not have mercy. The reason Palpatine had left Anakin alive had to be a dark one, but as powerful as Anakin was in the force, he didn't know what the sith planned. All he could sense of his future was that it was filled with much pain and much suffering. Straining, he tried to see the fates of Obi-wan, Padmé, the jedi order itself. It was all clouded . . . but dark.

Suddenly, from beside him a small alien voice whispered something. Another voice responded, young and human. "Really? Where?"

There was a response. Anakin tensed. He lifted his face from his hands just in time to see the two children reach his side.

"I know who you are!" the little human boy sang out. _"You're the hero with no fear!"_

_--------------------------------_

Obi-Wan, at last, saw Coruscant through the transparisteel cockpit window. With a sigh, he tried to allow himself to relax. His journey had been a race against time, but he could sense that his target was still safe, for now.

Finally reaching the exact landing platform he was looking for, he realized that the owner was going to be startled by his presence. With a sigh, he conceded that there was no time to send a warning. He would have to get her out of here. Now.

------------------------------

Padmé was dressed in a green billowing dress with a high waistband. Drawing up the hood, she studied herself in the mirror. She sighed. This disguise might have worked three months ago, but there was no way to hide her now pregnancy now. For five months she had been reasonably able to hide her growing stomach, but slowly her condition was becoming more obvious. Now, one of her most forgiving outfits was betraying her secret.

Fortunately, sitting the senate box allowed her to wear large robes that didn't give a hint of the coming child. Now however, she had a different dilemma. Even though the thick Senatorial robes were the only ones that could disguise her secret of eight months, she couldn't wear them in public. She needed something that was easier to move in.

She let out a stifled grunt. _Oh, well, _she considered_. Maybe no one will recognize me. _She wasn't exactly going to a senate meeting. Somewhere in the lower parts of the city, Anakin was lost. She could just feel it. She couldn't explain it, but it was as if she felt that he was in trouble.

The night before, she had slept on the veranda hoping to be awoken by Anakin coming home late. Instead, she had woken up in the cold light of morning, alone. It was at the time that she realized something was wrong. She had closed her eyes, as if she might be able to find him somewhere in her thoughts. After a long moment, all she knew was that he was in trouble. It was at that moment that she wished she had Jedi powers, that she could communicate with him and find out where he was. Instead she would just have to look for him.

"Padmé?"

Padmé almost jumped out of her skin. Swinging around, she saw Obi Wan standing behind her. Briefly his gaze moved down, noticing that she was with child. His gaze snapped back up to her face, his expression was one of realization. Padmé struggled to keep a neutral expression, "How can I help you, Master Jedi?"

Obi-Wan just stood dumbfounded looking back at her. He knew his former Padawan and Padmé cared about one another, but . . . they'd been married? They were having a child? Suddenly the fact that Padmé was in danger seemed to make sense. "Milady," he began. He composure was strained. The Jedi who was normally very articulate found himself blurting his answer very unceremoniously. "You must leave Coruscant. If you do not, I am certain that you will die."

--------------------------

At the sound of the child's outburst, all the inhabitants of the pub turned. Anakin tried to shush the child. "I'm not who you think I am." he said, part of him knowing that they would never believe him.

"Yes you are." The little human insisted, with his alien friend nodding insistently. "You're the knight that saved Palapatine. You destroyed the separatist scum!"

By now there were murmurs coursing through the room. "I am not who you think I am!" he boomed, a lot harsher than he meant to.

"Yes, you are," the child insisted, looking considerably hurt, "You're Anakin Skywalker!"

A gasp shot through the room, and Anakin panicked. Shoving the children aside, he leapt from the booth and ran out of the pub. The shock of the cold night air brought him back to reality. He had just abandoned his only refuge. Looking around, he realized that he needed to find another place to hide.

Even as he thoughts were reeling, he was suddenly aware of a tremor in the force. Padmé! At that point, a new plan took hold of Anakin's mind. He would go to Padmé, and together they would flee. _Sounds like the coward's way out_, the arrogant Padawan in his mind told him. Then the voice of the more reasonable Anakin spoke, _But it was the only way you can save her life. If anything were to happen to her_- He silenced the thought, refusing to even considered it.

_**A/N: Well, what did you think? Be honest.**_


	6. Truths

_Truths_

Obi-Wan was aware of a dull, growing ache in his skull. The weight of this task was suddenly crushing. Padmé was pregnant? Obi-Wan's mind strayed for a moment, drifting into memory. No, he should have known, he could have known. He shouldn't be surprised by this. He was Anakin's friend, his brother, that was what blinded him. In the past, he had never wanted to know the truth of Anakin and Padmé's realationship. Somehow, somewhere in his consciousness, he must have known, but refused to believe.

"Obi-Wan?" The patient voice asked again, "What are you talking about?"

"Look," he began, fighting against the headache to regain his composure. "I'm sorry, but there isn't time to explain. We must leave at once."

"What about Anakin?" she asked finally, "I think he's in trouble."

Obi-Wan looked back at her compassionately. She was no longer a senator but a wife and mother to be, who was deeply concerned for her husband. Somehow, he had to convince her to push this concern aside or she would never leave. "You . . . and your child are the ones we must worry about."

Padmé set her expression, appearing very calm, though he could sense she was anything but. "But what about Anakin? I know that he's in danger, and I truly believe that we must-"

"I know," Obi-Wan said, knowing Padmé could be extremely determined. "But you must believe me."

"Why?" she asked, her calm façade slipping a little. "How can you be so certain that he's not in danger or even dead?"

"If Anakin had died," Obi-Wan said, somewhat bitterly, "I would have known. My lady, through the force . . ." he paused. Padmé was no jedi, she wouldn't understand. He said simply, "I know when some one dies. I will never forget what that feels like. Believe me, Anakin is well enough for now."

"When I am safe-" she began considering.

"I will return and find Anakin," Obi-Wan finished. "I promise you that."

Finally, Padmé nodded.

---------------------------------

Shaak Ti was surprised to find the missing Jedi suddenly bursting through the doors to the Temple. "Anakin!" she came to him, "what happened?"

"There isn't time," he said, neglecting to call her master. "I have to find Obi-Wan."

"Anakin," Shaak Ti said, catching his arm as he tried to move past her, "Obi-Wan has not returned and Master Yoda has called for all Jedi to return to the Temple. If Palpatine means to strike against us-"

Anakin pulled from her grip, "Why hasn't Obi-Wan returned?"

Shaak Ti contributed his disrespect to the fact that he was still in bad shape. He looked weak and exhausted. "Anakin can you hear what I say?" she asked gently. "I know these having been trying times but you must stay focused in the force. If you lose sight now-"

"I know, Master," he said, feeling annoyed. "But something terrible is about to happen, and only I can prevent it from happening."

"What Anakin? What are you talking about?" she called out, but it was no use.

He had already disappeared down the hall and into his small chamber. Taking a small bag, Anakin gathered the few possessions he had ever acquired in his past. Slinging his pack over his shoulder, he moved out of the Temple, careful to avoid Shaak Ti. There was not point in explaining. He would never be returning here anyway. _Obi-Wan, I hope you can understand. Maybe I was never meant to be a Jedi, but I know now there is something more important to me. I have to save Padmé. Good bye, old friend._

Into the night, Anakin raced, toward a senatorial suite in the square of 500 Republica.

---------------------------------

Padmé looked at the ship that sat on her veranda, it wasn't a Republic craft. It was a small fighter, alien. Obi-Wan opened the cockpit and helped her climb inside. Gazing about the interior, she was reminded of Anakin, who was arguably the best pilot in the whole galaxy, and with a pang of sorrow, she wished that it was her husband who was whisking her to safety.

Obi-Wan seemed to sense this. He said nothing as he gently set her bag down next to her. It felt light and only half full. _Well, I didn't exactly give her much time to pack, _he considered. She had taken her most important belongings, the few things that meant something to her, before grabbing a few random pieces of her wardrobe. She had packed half-heartedly, as if she realized the simple fact of hiding. She had to leave as much her life behind as she could.

As the ship pulled away from the planet, Padmé must have realized why Obi-Wan's ship was not a Republic fighter. She knew he had gone to Utapau and must guessed that he returned in this very craft. That revelation brought a new question to mind, "The council doesn't know about this errand of yours, do they?"

Obi-Wan sighed. "No, the council doesn't know. This errand has nothing to do with my duty to the jedi, but with my duty to a friend and to his family." A gentle smile seemed to cross his face. Going against the Code because he believed something else to be more important . . . Qui-Gon would have been proud.

_-------------------------------_

Anakin at last stumbled into the apartment he had shared with Padmé for nearly three years. There was an empty feeling in the room that caught his attention even before he noticed the dimly light surroundings. Clothes and other items were strewn about, like the place had been searched. Anakin stretched out through the force. She had been here, she had just been here.

Running from the bedroom to the common room and finally out onto the veranda and landing platform, Anakin realized the truth. She was gone. _No, she was here. She was just here, I can feel it. _"Padmé," he called, trying to find her in the force.

_How could this have happened. How could I have failed her? I said I would never fail her! _"Padmé!"

_**A/N: Questions? Comments? Let me know what you think**_


	7. Shadows

_Shadows_

Shaak Ti drew a deep calming breath. The recent events had left her mind reeling, and despite the fact that many of the masters had returned, she couldn't find an absolute peace. There was so much darkness coursing through the force, at times it was suffocating.

"Disturbing these events are," Yoda said. Though his return had brought some solace to the inhabitants of the temple, the great Master could sense the coming trouble.

"What is left to do?" Shaak Ti couldn't help but ask. "It has been nearly thirty standard days since Master Windu and the others perished. Palpatine has not moved to strike against us in all that time, yet even the smallest padawan can sense the coming dark. If only we could stop it."

"Strong enough to fight back, we are not," Yoda said. "Too many of our Knights and Masters, off world remain. In a thousand years more powerful the Sith have become. Yet waned our power has. This Palpatine knows. Soon strike against us, he will." Yoda shook his head, "Clouded by the dark side, the force is, but soon the time shall come, when stand against the Sith we must."

Near the corner of the chamber, Obi-Wan sat in silence, his mind in a daze. He, himself, had only returned to the temple a little over two weeks ago. The route to safety had been long and winding. Obi-Wan had to be sure they wouldn't be tracked, and many detours had been taken on the way to the hiding place. Now, Padmé remained safely off-world and far from the enemy's eyes. Anakin's wife had been safely hidden away, but Obi-Wan had yet to keep his promise. Anakin was still missing. His presence could no longer be felt on Coruscant. Obi-Wan was fairly certain where he had gone, Anakin was searching for Padmé.

"Troubled by much you are," Yoda said, drawing Obi-Wan from his thoughts. A quick glance around the room revealed that all the other masters had left. Being in thoughtful daze, Obi-Wan hadn't even noticed.

"Master Yoda," Obi-Wan began, "I want to continue my search for Anakin. I'm worried-"

"Worry you must not. Worry is fear, fear leads-" Yoda admonished.

"Yes," Obi-Wan conceded. "I know. But if the 'Chosen One' is missing, how can we hope to stand against the Sith? And I know he will not return on his own. I have the distinct feeling that he means to leave the Order."

"So certain are you?" Yoda asked, studying the younger master. "Follow his own path, young Skywalker must, and drive him down a path that he has not chosen, you can not." Yoda rested his hands on the gimer stick, and shook his head gravely. "No, consider the safety of the young senator and the Skywalker youngling, we must."

"Amidala is hidden away in one of the best offworld medical stations. I'm certain we were not followed. Besides, she's proven before that she has the ability to remain hidden and protect herself. I doubt she is in danger any longer."

Yoda shook his head slowly, "Cloud your judgment, your feelings for your old padawan do, Master Obi-Wan. Whatever force has hunted young Skywalker, search out his family it will. Seek the destruction of Anakin Skywalker, the Sith do. In grave danger his family is. To Amidala you must go."

Obi-Wan remained silent before slowly nodding his head.

"When born the child is, to a new refuge move the senator and youngling. When certain you are of mother and child's safety, return to the Temple you must. What next must be done, then we shall decide."

----------------------------------

Sidious paced his quarters, "You still have yet to bring me Amidala."

The agent nodded, "My apologies Lord Sidious. My men are working as fast as they can, but there is no trace of the senator."

"And what of Skywalker?" Sidious asked, his patience wearing thin.

"We tracked him to the end of the Nubian system but he has vanished since then," the agent tried again.

Sidious let out a disgusted sigh, "You incompetence disappoints me. I do not tolerate failure."

"My lord," the agent blurted hurriedly. "I do have some information about Master Kenobi."

"He was killed on Utapau." Sidious said, knowing the agent was going to contradict him.

"With all due respect, my lord, Obi-wan Kenobi returned to Coruscant twenty standard days ago, and he has been seen departing once again."

"Follow him," Sidious said. "I have a feeling he will lead you to our missing senator. Kill them both."

The agent bowed and exited. Sidious couldn't help but give a wicked laugh. Everything Skywalker loved would be gone, and then there would be nothing left of him. Once Anakin's spirit had been destroyed, his rage would consume him. Then he would, at last, embrace the dark side.

-------------------------------------

Anakin walked across the plain tired and weak. A standard month of searching and there was still no sign of his wife. His journey had taken him to many worlds. Whoever had taken her must have been a force-sensitive, for they left a tortuous path that even the best tracker could not follow. But who could have taken her? Why would anyone take her? _It's your fault. You swore to protect her._

Anakin clenched his eyes shut. _No, I will find her. I will not fail her. _

A cloud of dust rose across the plain, and Anakin blinked his eyes against the sand. He had traced her here, to Tatooine, but her presence was no longer here, and there were no clues as to where she was now. Closing his eyes tightly, he stretched out through the force to find her. She was faint flicker in the force, distant and illusive. She was alive but lost.

"Sandstorm's coming up quick," a voice said.

Anakin turned to find a hand on his shoulder. "Owen?"

"Anakin?" Owen Lars blinked. "Is it really you?"

Anakin nodded.

"I wondered why you weren't here when that other jedi showed up," Owen said, in his straight-to-the-point-farmer tone. "He and Padmé didn't know what had happened to you, and Beru and I feared the worst."

Anakin had stopped hearing after the mention of Padmé. He was about to question further when a strong gust of air brought Owen back to his senses, "Come on, we've got to find some shelter."


	8. Visions

_Visions_

He hadn't told her everything, but he couldn't bring himself to tell her the whole truth. With a sigh, he leaned back against the seat, studying the small baby that lay in his arms.

_A blue blade pierced the air only to be met by one that was blood red. The battle began, amidst a city in the clouds. There was no escape for the young man. The dark lord he fought was stronger and would soon beat him._

Obi-Wan clenched his eyes shut, trying not to remember how the dream progressed. But it was there. No matter how hard he tried, the vision would not leave him. Every time he closed his eyes, he saw it.

_The dark lord advanced, clearly beating back the young warrior. The young man fell to the ground. "You are beaten," the sith bellowed, but with a defiant stroke, the younger man knocked the red blade away. Getting back to his feet, the young warrior raised his saber, and the fight continued. The dark lord's anger was swelling, as he sliced through the air. Then, in a scream of pain, the young man fell to his knees, his saber arm severed at the wrist. _

The young warrior in Obi-Wan's vision was the older version of the child he now held in his arms. Luke Skywalker was in grave danger. The siths could not be allowed to find him. Obi-Wan had convinced his mother to separate him for herself and his sister, but he hadn't told Padmé the whole dream. No, there was something far more ill boding in the moments of his vision.

_Luke was still trying to escape, moving out away from the platform. For some reason, the sith seemed to be letting him go. "Join me . . . together we can rule the galaxy."_

"_I'll never join you!" the young Skywalker shouted. "You killed my father!"_

"_No, Luke, . . . I am your father."_

Obi-Wan's eyes flew open, as the small bundle in his arms shifted. "_Shhh_," he whispered, "It's alright." The baby stirred again but didn't awaken. Obi-Wan sighed and scanned over the public transport. Traveling as a refugee, he hoped to avoid any unwanted attention. There had been no danger in their journey thus far, but his vision kept him alert. He wouldn't allow himself to feel to secure, not until the baby was safe in the arms of those that would care for him now.

He'd lied to Padmé in some way. He'd told her that this arrangement wasn't permanent. She was holding to the hope that when the sith were beaten and Anakin was found, she could be reunited with her son. Obi-Wan knew this would never be. While the fate of Padmé and her daughter were uncertain, it was clear that Anakin would embrace the dark side, and Luke Skywalker would be the last hope of the galaxy.

-------------------------

Padmé, disguised as poor refugee, sat on the public interplanetary transport. Drawing her shawl up over her head, she hid her hair and most of her facial features. She doubted anyone would recognize her, but she didn't want to take that chance.

She shifted her sleeping child in her arms, but Leia didn't awaken. Looking down into the small face of her young child, she fought a swell of emotion. Guilt and sorrow threatened to consume her. It shouldn't be like this. She should have done something. She never should have let Luke go, and Anakin, she should have searched for him. She should have found him. None of this would have happened if she had.

Now she was fleeing into hiding, again. Not long ago, she had been hidden in some corner of the medical center on Polis Massa. The senator had spent several days in maddening solitude. The first several days she spent there, she was well attended, as her condition warranted it. Then about a standard week ago, she gave birth to two beautiful children. From then on, her presence at the Medical Center had been non-existent.

In her solitude, Padmé was consumed by sorrow and regret. Anakin had not been there. He'd missed the most important thing that would ever happen in their lives. They were parents now, and Anakin hadn't even been there to name his children. Luke and Leia. She'd had to name them on her own. Luke had been named for a star pilot that had saved Anakin's life about seven year ago. Leia was named for a princess in a Nubian folk story. She hoped the names would do her children justice, and most of all, that Anakin would approve

Then, Obi-Wan had come. Not her beloved husband, but his former Master. Anakin was still missing, and the Jedi had reason to believe that her newborn son was already in grave danger. With a heavy heart she had conceded, allowing her son to be taken away from her and into an uncertain future. Leia was all she had left, and she dreaded the thought of losing her. Somewhere in her heart, she knew she had already lost Anakin and her son.

She lightly traced her daughter's face with her finger, and slowly the baby's eyes opened. Leia stared up at her mother with sudden attention. She didn't cry and didn't stir, she just gazed up at her mother. Padmé tried very hard to force a smile, but she could not hide her sadness. "Oh, my child," she said, sadly. "Nothing is simple anymore."

------------------------

Obi-Wan crossed the dusty road of Mos Eisly. Smugglers and all sorts of low life scum shuffled by him, toward whatever business they were about. Obi-Wan paid his surroundings little mind, as he had too much else to think about. Luke had been delivered safely into the arms of his wary relatives. Owen and Beru had received Luke with open arms, but toward the Jedi, they were not so welcoming. They noticed Padmé was missing from his company, but there was something else. They were terse with him, and they knew . . . they knew Anakin was Luke's father.

Obi-Wan didn't have time to ask how they knew, and Owen hadn't offered that information. Now in the space port, Obi-Wan was lost in thought. Yoda and perhaps even the council would need to hear about what had happened, and he could only hope that they would agree with the decisions that he had made.

Suddenly, Obi-Wan was very aware of his surroundings, almost instinctively. He noticed every man and creature that passed him. He noticed the heat of the day, even though evening was approaching. He saw an entrance to a tavern, and then there was suddenly a strange swell in the Force. He was aware of a sudden gust of air, or at least it felt like a gust of air, until he felt his back slam against the building behind him. As he fell to the ground, his cloak crumpled around him, blocking some of his view, but he clearly saw one thing. A glowing blade, illuminated in blue.


	9. Fading Light

_Fading Light_

_"Anakin," the sweet voice spoke to him. He turned aside, looking back at her. His beautiful wife, Padmé, stood smiling back at him. Her soft curls, her brown eyes, everything about her was wonderful, perfect._

_He crossed the veranda, coming to stand next to her. Wrapping his arm around her shoulders, they looked over the Coruscanti square. He heard her sigh, contentedly, as she rested her head against his shoulder. "If only for one moment, everything seems perfect," she said, a slight note of remorse in her voice._

_He felt a slight smile cross his face, "Don't worry about anything, Padmé. Everything is going to be fine." _

_She looked back at him, as if she heard the uncertainty in his voice. "What are we going to do?"_

_"I promise you, Padmé," he reassured her. "Everything will be alright."_

_"No," she shook her head. A look of pain washed over her face, "No, Anakin, you can't save me."_

_"What?"_

_"It's too late." she said weakly, "you failed me."_

Anakin sat up with a start. It was a dream, it was all a dream. Gazing around the room, he quickly remembered where he was. He was on Tatooine in the home of Owen and Beru Lars. He turned, throwing his feet over the side of the bed and letting them drop to the cold ground. Cold ground, it was kind of ironic on Tatooine, but it seemed fitting for his mood.

Outside, the sandstorm continued to howl, though it's strength had waned. Anakin clenched his eyes shut, willing himself to forget the dream, but like all the dreams he had, it remained.

Rising abruptly, he paced the room. _I will not be a failure. I will not be the cause of suffering. Padmé, I will find you. _

Reality seemed to hit then, and he sunk back down on to the bed. Running his hands through his hair, he realized, like it or not, he was failing those that he loved.

Only hours before, Owen had recounted the visit of _Obi-Wan_ and Padmé.

"_She didn't look well," Owen had said. "She was pale and seemed upset. Beru didn't want them to risk traveling further, but that Jedi insisted. If it weren't for the sandstorm, I don't think they even would have stopped." _

Anakin clenched his fists. The gears and motors protested in the crushing power of his mechanical hand. _How could Obi-Wan do this? How could Obi-Wan risk her life, drag her away from me? _

The dream of Padmé dying came flooding back to him. _If she dies . . .Obi-Wan will pay. _Rage built up inside him. Then, just as suddenly as his anger had boiled, he calmed. Obi-Wan. He was the cause of all this . . . but he was also the only person that could lead Anakin to Padmé.

Anakin knew he couldn't remain anymore. Moving out of the chamber, he pulled his robe around himself. He crossed the foyer and stood just a few feet before the door. As he drew up his hood, he heard a soft scuff of a shoe against the floor. He turned to see Owen and Beru standing behind him.

"Where are you going at this time of night?" Owen asked.

"I'm going to find my wife," Anakin said plainly.

"Anakin," Beru began, both tentative and apologetic, "We didn't know that you two had been married. If we had . . ."

"If we'd known," Owen said, "I wouldn't have let that Jedi drag her away from here."

Owen wasn't helping Anakin's mood. The Jedi turned away, stepping toward the door. "Anakin!" Owen called, "Come back, I'm sure the storm is still-"

"It doesn't matter," Anakin called, wrapping a thick cloak around himself. "I have to find her."

"Anakin," Beru began moving toward the door, "No one knows where he took her. Where will you go?"

Anakin's reply was to wrap a cloth over his face, concealing his features below his eyes. Then he stepped out into the dying storm.

If he had remained, he would have been there when Obi-Wan arrived, early the next morning.

----------------------------------

Anakin sat at the bar, trying to eat something. He hated the food here, and he had absolutely no appetite. After arriving by land speeder on the outskirts, Anakin had wandered Mos Eisley for the rest night and early morning. It had vaguely reminded him of the night on Coruscant when he had fought Sidious and failed.

Now, in the early afternoon, he sat in the tavern, waiting for some sign of what to do next. There was an odd tremor in the force, an old presence, one that he knew very well. He abandoned his food and seat, leaving the pub to return the dusty street.

Then, he spotted the very man he was looking for. Rage got the better of him. Gathering his power, he unleashed his anger, sending Obi-Wan flying back against a wall of the alley. Drawing his blade, he pursued, coming to stand just before his fallen former master. "You!" he heard himself shout. "Traitor!"

_---------------------------------_

Obi-Wan could feel the darkness within Anakin, the anger, the hatred. Anakin thought that his best friend had betrayed him, and Obi-Wan once again regretted the whole situation. For a moment, time froze. Obi-Wan remembered his vision, how his friend would become a Dark Lord and murder Luke Skywalker, yet he couldn't bring himself to look at his friend, his brother, that way. _I have to try and convince him. If there is any hope- _

"Anakin, please!" Obi-Wan called, pushing himself up into a seated position. "Anakin, I am your friend. I'm trying to help you, listen to me."

Obi-Wan looked back at Anakin. The younger man's face was set in an expression of rage and vengeance. His blue eyes were dark, and his blade was held in a threatening, attack-ready position.

"Anakin," Obi-Wan tried again. He managed to get to his feet and was partly surprised that Anakin allowed him to do so. _Get your light saber, _a part of him prompted. He didn't move for his weapon. He wouldn't treat Anakin like a sith. Anakin was his brother, despite everything. Despite that Anakin had married, had children and had now left the order, Obi-Wan would never stand against him.

"Let me explain," he pleaded. Anakin didn't move, his expression didn't change, but Obi-wan felt a shift through the force. Anakin's rage softened, and he seemed to consider. Obi-Wan knew that Anakin, despite his anger, was hesitant to attack. There was hope.

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**A/N: Friends, loyal readers, and everyone else browsing this page: First, thank for reading. I know this took longer to post, and I'm sorry. I am going to try and post more often. However, I have a problem. I'm trying to decide which version of chapter ten I am going to post. Now, here's how you can help, (and by helping me, you are therefore causing me to update sooner- ah, progress) I need you to review, even if it's just one word. After reading the story so far, what is the first word that comes to mind. Lame? Mediocre? Decent? Good? Boring? Tense? Believe it or not, just knowing what my readers' reactions are will let me know if I'm on the right track. Review, and I shall forever be in your debt. I will owe you one big time (truly). Again, thank you.You guys rock. **

**WizardWriter86**


	10. Life and Death

_Life and Death_

Sidious paced in his quarters, turning his back on the holo the held the image of his mercenary. "My Lord, we traced Master Kenobi to Polis Massa, but he has since left the system and we have found no trace of the senator."

"She has slipped through your fingers yet again," Sidious growled. "I said I wanted her destroyed, and you assured me that it would be done."

"It shall be, my Lord," the holo of the mercenary insisted.

"Do not report back to me until you are certain that she is dead," Sidious said.

Even as the image was just bowing to say, "Yes, Lord", Sidious deactivated the device.

"Incompetent fool," he snarled to himself. Returning to his chair behind the large desk, he considered the situation. "It is time to escalate my plans."

There was a moment's pause, and then another message went out from Sidious. "All of them, Commander," Sidious instructed the clone. "I want every last jedi to be destroyed . . . except one. Bring me Anakin Skywalker, alive."

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"Master, Master," the young padawan came bursting into the meditation chamber. "Attack-, they are attacking-"

Shaak Ti opened her eyes with a start. The padawan looked back at her, as though pleading for safety. Shaak Ti rose and went to the window, and then she saw it. Legions of troopers were marching toward the temple, destroying any jedi that tried to stop them. Then she felt it, through the force, many jedi across the galaxy were dying.

For a moment, Shaak Ti was overwhelmed. It was not a trait of a jedi to feel panic, but for a moment, she did. It was the still voice of the padawan that brought her back, "Master? What are we going to do?"

"We can not win this fight," she said, sadly. Every knight and master knew there was no way to win. Those that attacked the troopers were sacrificing their own lives for those that remained in the temple, so that they might have a chance at survival. "We must run."

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There was a quiet knock at the door. Padmé looked down at Leia, who lay sleeping in her arms. Rising, she went first to her bed chamber, and gently, she placed her baby into the crib she had been given. Bracing herself for the worst, she went to answer the door.

Her new hiding place was the safest that Obi-Wan could think of, yet still she couldn't shake the feeling of danger. She had a child the think of now, not just her own life. She opened the door to find a young Alderaanian woman, a handmaiden of the palace, standing before her. "Lady Organa," she addressed Padmé. "The King and Queen request your presence immediately."

Padmé nodded grimly, before closing the door behind her and following the girl down the hall. _I'll be back in a moment, Leia, I promise. _

Padmé looked about the halls of the palace that had become her surrogate home. The lives of royals were very private here on Alderaan. It was unknown to the public if Bail or his wife had any siblings, but when Padmé showed up seeking refuge with her daughter, Bail claimed her to be the wife of his late brother, a commander who had died in the wars. The explanation was accepted, since there was no knowledge otherwise. Both Padmé and her daughter took the last name Organa.

At last they reached a pair of tall doors. Using a panel to the left, the attendant opened the door, and the handmaiden led Padmé inside. As she did, she announced, "My Lord, I present Lady Ala Organa."

Bail nodded from where he sat next to his wife. "Thank you."

The woman excused herself, closing the door behind her. In the solitude, Padmé hurried over to join Bail and the Queen where they sat at a small table. Flimsiplasts were scattered over the tabletop, and as Padmé took her seat, she distinctly saw Bail give her a sympathetic and sorrowful look.

"I'm sorry, Pa- Ala," Bail began. "We've just received word that war has been declared on the jedi. This flimsiplast arrived just moments ago."

Padmé took the flimsiplast from his hand and studied it carefully. The data told of an attack on the jedi temple, to put down a "jedi rebellion". The newsnet was blaming the Jedi for the war and for all the terrible things that were happening.

Padmé shook her head, fighting back tears. "How many have been killed?"

Bail shook his head, "By the reports, my guess would be that Palpatine has ordered their complete genocide."

Padmé couldn't hold back the tears then. Her hand went to her mouth, covering her trembling chin. Tears slipped down her cheeks, even as she tried to hold on to her brave façade.

"Padmé, we called you here, because there is more news." Bail said, forgetting covertness. "There have been reports . . . well, rumors, that Jedi may be escaping the system."

A look of hope came over the former senator's saddened features. All she could do was pray to the force that Anakin was able to escape.

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Anger, rage, Anakin was struggling against the swell of emotion. Obi-Wan had taken everything from him, everything that ever mattered. How could this man stand before him, asking to be allowed to explain?

"What Master?" Anakin asked, beginning to pace back and forth before Obi-Wan. "You did all this for my sake? For Padmé's sake? How can you even justify what you have done?"

"She is safe, Anakin, I promise, and so is your child," Obi-Wan thought perhaps the mention of a child might be a mistake, but he had to find something. He had to find a piece of Anakin that wasn't torn, some loyalty that he could use to bring Anakin back.

"My child?" Anakin blinked.

"Anakin, you must understand, the Order-"

Anakin stopped in his tracks. "The Order demanded this!"

"No, Anakin, you don't-"

Anakin didn't hear anything else. He found himself on his knees, pain coursing through him, torment coursing through the force. Pain was all that he was conscious of, an agony that was leading toward darkness.

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**A/N: Apologies, this was supposed to be posted yesterday. However, I was dragged to a movie marathon (no chick flics thankfully) by my friends, and between the hours and hours of movie theater hopping and then sleeping, I did not see my computer until early this evening.**

**Alright now, reviewers, you guys have been excellent. Bookwrm17, SML, and LadyKelina, thank you for your kind words. Alley Parker, Padme17, Nautica7mk, I promise that this AU will stay true . . . hopefully. Koriaena, I agree that a fight on Tattoine lacks the "pizzazz" of Mustafar, but the next chapter should make everything clear. AnimaEssentia, thank you for your review, your words about Obi-Wan were wise and true. He's trying to be a good friend, but his actions are not making things easy for Anakin. This is my first fan fic that I've posted, so I'm glad to hear that you think I'm keeping the characters in character.**

**Thanks again, as said before, you guys rock.**

**Chapter 11 should be posted Monday sometime or early Tuesday, it just needs a little tweaking. In the meantime I appreciate your reviews, be it one word or many. Hearing from my readers makes me want to keep writing. **

**WizardWriter86**


	11. Decisions

_Decisions_

_She was so beautiful, dressed in the white gown. She had always been beautiful, but today there was none living, whether human or angel, that compared to how lovely she looked to him. He stood next to her, dressed in the only clothes he owned, jedi robes._

"_Anakin," she spoke his name, and it made him smile. "Are you sure this is the right thing? I don't want you to ever have to chose between me and the Jedi, and I fear that if we go through with this, if we marry, then your loyalties will always be torn. How could you live like that? It would destroy you."_

_He loved her. He loved her more than life, more than anything. If there was any cause he would die for, it would be her. He went to her side, wrapping his arms around her waist, "Between you and the jedi, there is no contest of loyalty. My life, loyalty and love belong to only one person."_

_The doubt evaporated from her eyes, and love once again filled her gaze. He could sense that somewhere within her restrained conscious there was a flicker of doubt, but she knew the simple truth. It was all that she was thinking of now. They were destined to be together, they had been from the moment they had met._

_Her gaze moved suddenly. He followed her line of sight and saw Threepio leading the holy man across the veranda. "Are you ready?" he asked his bride._

_She looked back at him, sincerity in every word. "Yes, I am."_

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Anakin drew a painful breath. His saber lay deactivated on the sand beside him. There on his knees Anakin began to understand this agony. Death. It was suffocating, making his head spin and his eyesight fade. Breathing brought on excruciating pain. How could this happen?

Gritting his teeth he did what he was always taught. He closed his eyes and searched the force, looking for the explanation. Even as he let the force flow into him, screams roared in his ears, screams of torment. Anakin found himself crying out, joining the anguished voices. Then he understood. Many Jedi were dying, crying out and then silenced. Being powerful in the force was his curse. Because of this power, he could feel the death of his people as strongly as if it was happening to him. The feeling was so strong, he thought it might kill him.

He knew he should close himself off from the force, block out the terrible rumination, but he couldn't, not yet. Stretching out further into the force nearly made him retch, for it was unbearable, but he had to find her.

At last there was a glimmer in the force, he found her, and he sensed her pain. She was suffering, maybe even dying. Anakin tried to reach her, but then she was suddenly gone. Anakin had to retract his reach, for he was so overwhelmed by the horror that was gripping his soul. He shut out the force, allowing himself to breath.

Then his gaze moved up, as he looked back at Obi-Wan. His old mentor sat upon the ground, clutching his fists and resting his face against them. "No . . . no . . .no," Anakin heard his master moan.

"Obi-Wan," Anakin asked, "what's happening? Jedi-"

"It's Sidious," Obi-Wan said at last, "It must be."

The fear Anakin had struggled against for all his life suddenly crept back. It climbed up from the pit of his stomach and gripped his heart in a tightening grasp. Everything flooded back to him, the deaths of the jedi, Padmé's unknown fate, the fate of his child, everything, yet what tortured him most was the memory of his failure the last time he faced Sidious.

"There's nothing we can do Obi-Wan," Anakin insisted. "We have to run."

"Anakin," Obi-Wan began. "We will go to the haven, but first we must return to Coruscant. It's our duty to help any survivors."

"And get ourselves killed in the process?" Anakin asked. "There is nothing on Coruscant, Master. Only death."

Obi-Wan's expression changed, it was reflective and rueful. He at last realized the wise jedi his former padawan had become. "Are you so sure?"

"I know what you want from me," Anakin began, painfully. He sensed death, much of it, but what he couldn't tell Obi-Wan was the death he felt most was his own. "I'm the chosen one, right? You're looking to me to destroy the sith."

"That is your calling," Obi-Wan said. A slight doubt had always lingered in Obi-Wan, Anakin could sense it, and at this moment, Obi-Wan's words were that of the council, not his own.

"You don't really believe I am, do you? You never thought I was the one the prophecy told of." Anakin pressed.

"I never disbelieved, Anakin," Obi-Wan said, sincerely. "Wiser masters than me said you were destined by the Force to be the Chosen One."

"A wise master once told me something," Anakin began, he gaze moving to the sand beneath him. "He told me that choices are what shape our destiny. The decisions I make will determine if I fulfill my purpose or if I fail. What if I want to fail?"

"Anakin, can you even hear yourself?" Hurt and distress came across Obi-Wan's face. "Why are you saying this?"

"I can't base my life on what everyone expects of me. I know I can't do this Obi-Wan. I've failed everyone. Padmé is the only person that I have never failed, and I won't fail her now. I know she needs me Obi-Wan, I have to find her."

Obi-Wan rose stiffly and moved over to his friend's side. Resting his hand on Anakin's shoulder he said, "Anakin, this is your destiny. If your turn your back on the galaxy now, then we are all lost."

Anakin's gaze was distant, and his voice was weighted by much thought. "A man is born for a purpose, and he lives until his purpose is fulfilled, you told me that."

Obi-Wan understood now, but he could not contradict Anakin's fear.

"Master, if I was meant to save the galaxy, then I know what awaits me on Coruscant. I will have to die to stop this . . . won't I?" _If I die, _his thoughts began, but he stopped them there.

"I don't know, Anakin," Obi-Wan admitted gently. "But you can not let fear-"

Anakin shook Obi-Wan's hand from his shoulder. "Fear has nothing to do with it!" he spoke harshly. "It's about my choice. What if I choose that something else is more important to me?"

It was selfish, he knew, but the choice was clear in his mind. He had to abandoned something, whether the Order or Padmé. The choice was simple, for that decision had been made in his heart long ago. Padmé needed him, and he would not abandon her.

"Anakin," Obi-Wan began tentatively, "if there is something more for you to live for . . . the future is never clear. Besides, I'm not certain how a dead man could defeat a sith."

Obi-Wan's dry humor felt raw and uneasy. Anakin couldn't shrug it off. He stifled a curse. He had promised Padmé those years ago that there would never be torn loyalties, that his whole devotion was hers. While Anakin could turn his back on the Order, he suddenly realized that by doing so, he would turn his back on the only brother he ever had.

Obi-Wan seemed to sense his confusion, his doubt. "Listen, we don't have to face Sidious, in fact it's probably best to avoid confrontation now. Let's go to Coruscant and see to our fellow jedi. Once everyone we can find is safe at the haven, then you can decide what you will do. If at that time you chose . . . I will take you to Padmé."

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**A/N: Once again, thank you reviewers. Alley Parker, dracowantsme, LadyKelina, padme17, Still Running, and fellowwriter05, thank you for your reviews. It was great to hear from you. A few of you seem concerned about Anakin, but hopefully this chapter eased some of your worries. **

**At this time, I would like to ask for your continued reviews. For those that don't like to review, even one word is enough. To hear readers' reactions is the number one reason I started posting. Thanks again. Until next time,**

**WizardWriter86 **


	12. Memories and Premonitions

**Hey Guys,**

**Huge apology that this took so long to post. School started and I took so many writing classes . . . long story short, I had to write 50,000 words in two weeks and start two other major writing assignments. Anyway, enough excuses, here's an update and I will definitely update more often from here on out. **

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_Memories and Premonition_

Padme paced in her quarters, tears streaming down her face. Her thoughts were consumed by mourning for her husband. Though she had been parted from Anakin so many times during the war, every time he had left for some battle a part of her had always gone with him. She would worry for him every waking hour and would cry herself through sleepless nights, but she had never felt like this. It was as if a part of her had died.

It had been four days since Bail had told her of the attack on the Jedi Temple. Every waking moment, she had watched the newsnets, hoping that she might find some clue as to Anakin's fate. What she saw was never encouraging, and it had been so long since she had seen him. She was beginning to realize that Anakin could not have survived.

Padme sat down near the window and gazed out over the capital city of Alderaan. The landscape was beautiful, reminding her in some ways of her homeworld. Thinking back to her life on Naboo made images of the past swelled up inside her. She could still clearly see Theed and the Nubian Palace in her mind and could recall so many events that had occurred in the past years. The memories of her childhood, her coronation, the invasion, her second term, being made a senator, her marriage and finally her children flashed in her mind.

She remembered the last time she and Anakin has met in the Lake Country. It had been nearly a year before, before she knew she was pregnant, before Anakin had been whisked away to war for those long months, and before all these terrible things had happened. Thinking back to that holiday at the cottage, a memory of a specific morning stuck in her mind.

"_Padme?" _

_She was slightly startled, and she turned to see Anakin standing in the doorway behind her. She had been sitting on the veranda of the cottage, enjoying the cool morning breeze that drifted over the lake. When she had taken her robe and left Anakin, he had been sleeping, well snoring slightly. Now he stood, leaning against the doorpost, his hair tousled from sleep. _

_She giggled to herself, "Good morning," she said sweetly. She rose, and after straightening her silk nightgown, motion for him to join her on the bench. He joined her, after shrugging his tunic over his head and shoulders. _

"_It's a little cold this morning," Anakin said, as he sat down. _

_Padme smiled, "Well, perhaps your robe might keep you warm . . .or at least some boots." _

_Anakin looked down at his bare feet at the end of his long black pants and he laughed lightly. "I suppose."_

_He looked back at her, and though there was so much love in his gaze, she immediately recognized something else in his eyes. "What's wrong?"_

_He wrapped his arm around her shoulders and looked over the lake for a moment. "The Council received my report of Queen Jamilla's petition and Naboo's security. You should be glad to know that you also received a copy of this report, and you have officially sent a message to the Council from your office on Coruscant thanking the Jedi for their help. They were pleased to hear from you."_

"_Good old Dorme," Padme rested her head on Anakin's shoulder. "If it weren't for her I'd never be able to leave the capital, even for a moment."_

_Anakin was silent for a long moment. Padme waited silently, she knew Anakin had more to say. After another moment or two, Anakin sighed, "Of course, now that Jamilla and Naboo are safe from the separatists, the Council sees no more reason for me to linger here. The Clone Wars have moved to the outer rim and it seems Obi-Wan and I are to help lead an advance against the enemy."_

_Padme nodded but said nothing._

"_I have to leave in a few hours," Anakin finally said, before falling silent again._

_The silence began to eat away at Padme, "How long will you be gone?"_

_Anakin shook his head, "I don't know."_

_It was at this moment that an odd premonition seized Padme. It was as if she knew that all her peaceful moments with Anakin had been spent, and the life that stretch before them was filled with trouble and pain._

The sound of Leia's cry brought Padme back from her memories. She moved to her daughter's bed, and lifted the baby. Holding Leia in her arms, Padme felt a sudden sense of peace. How could she despair over the loss of her husband and her son? She still had a beautiful daughter who needed her. Padme smiled, "Oh small one, everything's going to be alright, I promise."

That odd premonition came upon Padme again. She had just promised her daughter something that she could not be certain of. As if to echo this feeling of forewarning, there was a solemn knock at the door of her room. Leia looked up at her mother, and though the child was so young, Padme swore she saw a look of concern in the baby's eyes.

A mother has many duties, and one is to comfort and calm their children. Pushing all those vague fears far from her mind, Padme looked into Leia's eyes, "I promised, Leia. I meant it. You'll see, everything will be alright."

Somehow Leia seemed to understand, at least she seemed to understand her mother was trying to comfort her. She quieted and seemed to relax, but there was still a look of unease in the small child's expression. "Shhh," Padme said, and she walked to the door, rocking Leia slightly back and forth.

Opening the door while holding Leia in one hand, Padme was surprised to see Bail Organa standing in the hall. "Bail, I-"

"There's no time," Bail said, pushing passed Padme and into the room. "Something has happened, and we need to talk."

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**There you have it. The next chapter: Anakin makes his decision. It should be posted soon. Thanks for bearing with me, you don't know how much I appreciate it. Please review, and until the next update . . . good luck (especially to those in my research class). **

**WizardWriter86**


	13. Condemned Refuge

**Finally an update. Those of you still with me and those of you just joining the adventure, thank you so much for your patience. Summer has officially arrived for me. I'm back home and looking forward to finishing this story . . . which means much more frequent updates. Thanks again guys, and as always, feedback is appreciated. **

**PS. I owe some recognition to LadyKelina. Without her plotting help and advice, it would have taken even longer for me to get this chapter out. Thanks again for all your help, Kelina.**

**-WizardWriter86**

_Condemned Refuge_

Obi Wan sighed, as his footsteps echoed about the hollow hanger bay. At last he had reached the secret fortress of the Jedi. He knew he should feel relieved, yet the place seemed devoid of peace and felt like anything but a sanctuary. The massive aircraft hanger, which could hold thousands of ships, now held only a fraction of its capacity. Much had been lost. The Jedi's numbers had been whittled down to only a small portion of their pre-war ranks.

As he walked with Anakin toward the far doorway, Obi Wan looked at his former padawan with an expression of concern. Their detour to Courscant had brought them to the ruins and devastation which now stood in place of the temple. It was a mission inspired by hope but had ended grief, when the terrible discovery was made there. Anakin's reaction to the ill-fated incident only puzzled Obi Wan more, making him doubt every decision he had made. When the dust had settled and they had once again escaped Courscant's atmosphere, even less was clear to the two Jedi. There seemed to be nothing left to do, so after much persuasion, Anakin had agreed to go on the refuge. On the terms of his compliance, however, he was insistent. In three days, Obi Wan was to take him to Padme, just as he had promised.

Obi Wan felt a pang of regret. Did he really believe that when it came to a choice between Padme and the Jedi, Anakin would choose the Order? Even after all the years they had been Master and Padawan, Obi Wan knew Anakin had never been wholly loyal to the Order. He was as stubborn and rebellious as Qui Gon, maybe more. Maybe if Qui Gon had lived . . . Obi Wan shook his head, he could not allow himself to dwell on the past. Not now.

As they reached the doorway, exiting the hanger, Shaak Ti came to greet them. "Master Kenobi," she said warmly. "I'm glad you made it here. We have lost so many Jedi, it is a relief to find you safe."

Obi Wan nodded his head in greeting, "I'm glad to see you as well Master Ti."

Her gaze moved and fell on Anakin. "Knight Skywalker, it has been so long since you left. I'm sure Master Yoda will be pleased to see you have returned and to hear of your journey."

Obi Wan wasn't sure if there was a tone of reprimand in her voice, but the reaction he sensed from Anakin was not encouraging. "I'm sure Master Yoda wishes to speak to me," Anakin said dryly. "But if you'll excuse me, it's been a long journey and I'd like to rest."

Obi Wan noticed that Anakin had neglected to call Shaak Ti "Master". However, if she noticed, she didn't let on. She remained neutral. "Of course," she said.

Anakin nodded toward the two masters and continued on. As he moved past Shaak Ti, he shot Obi Wan a look, and the elder Jedi sensed the distain. He supposed he deserved it. He should have let Anakin choose his own path, instead of getting involved and hiding Padme behind Anakin's back. He should have let him go, should have told him were Padme was. He had just wanted Anakin to follow his destiny. He had never thought Anakin would reject the prophecy, but it seemed the "Chosen One" had chosen a different path.

Obi Wan finally spoke, distantly. "It was a difficult journey here. Before reaching the Haven, Anakin and myself returned to Courscant to search for survivors, but we narrowly escaped ourselves. I must apologize for him, Master, he has had a rough time lately. If you remember, he was driven out of Courscant by Palpatine's forces just after Master Windu was killed. Before I found him, he had been living in exile on Tatooine."

Shaak Ti said nothing for a long moment, before finally speaking, "You look tired as well, Master Kenobi."

He forced a smile, but he could not mask the sadness in his eyes. "It has been a long week."

"The council will understand. Go and take some rest."

Obi Wan shook his head, "I'm certain the Council would prefer I report to them first. I thank you for your concern, but I do not think I have time for the luxury of rest. Since Anakin and myself are unable to linger here-"

Shaak Ti's demeanor seemed to change. Her calm serenity became suspicious inquiry. "And Master Kenobi, what is it that would draw you away from this place without the order of the Council?"

Obi Wan cringed inwardly. Was it so easy to sense what was going on? Could she read in his thoughts that he meant to help Anakin abandon the Order? "My former Padawan and I," Obi Wan began slowly, "have a pressing matter that we must see to in a few days. Once our mission is finished, we plan to once again reunite with the Council. It's simply-"

"Master Kenobi," Shaak Ti said, coolly. "I'm certain that you will have no trouble in gaining clearance to carry out this mission. However, I am not as optimistic about your suggestion to bring Anakin with you. He has just returned to the Order, after being missing for nearly seven standard weeks. In these dark days, we need the Chosen One to remain at our side. You know full well that if the prophecy is true, then he is the only one that can save us." A long moment passed in awkward silence. Finally she shook her head and mused quietly, "I pray to the force that he will not abandon us."

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Anakin lay on his cot, thinking. He really did want to rest, but he could sense the turmoil of the Jedi. The tumult was flooding the force, and he could not shut it out.

Something had changed since he had come to this room. The ruminations in the force that had felt so dark when they first arrived had turned more hopeful. The Jedi were looking to their Chosen One to save them. After all that had happened on Coruscant, how could anyone look to him now?

It didn't matter anyway. There was only one person Anakin was interested in saving. Padme, he could still save her, despite everything.

He drew a deep breath, rolled over on to his side and closed his eyes. Yet, every time he released himself to peace, he felt the force and all the pain that coursed through it. A pain which he felt partly responsible for. If only he had been ready. Obi Wan had wanted to save survivors, to rescue any that lived through Palpatines attack. In theory, it should have been one of the easiest missions he had ever been given. Once you've battled hundreds of droids single-handedly, a simple reconnaissance mission should have been effortless. But it wasn't. Something terrible had happened, yet another failure to add to an ever growing list. How could this have happened? How had he become this, this shadow of what he was meant to be? He wasn't the Jedi he was supposed to be, and he had no idea how to change that simple fact.

With a sigh he realized there was no rest for him in the present, so he turned to the past. There would be no rest so long as he dwelled on everything that was happening now. So, he let his mind drift back to a simpler time, when his life was full of ambition, hope and peace, yes peace, something that had been missing for a long time. He blocked all else from his mind. There were no Clone Wars, there never had been. There was only Padme, the lake country on Naboo, and isolated conflicts so far across the galaxy that even the Jedi paid them little mind. That was the reality that he created for himself, and in his delusion of false serenity, he drifted discontentedly and fitfully off to sleep.

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Silently, Obi Wan walked along the smooth floor of the corridors somewhere in the holds of the secret Jedi base. Shaak Ti had little more to say to him, and his meeting with the remaining members of the Council had been no more encouraging. There was contention among the Jedi. Their fear had grown into an enemy greater than any of Palpatine's forces. In times like these, keeping fear from their minds was a strain greater than any physical battle. Exhaustion and the lack of comfort in the Force had made all among the Jedi tense and guarded.

Whatever hope Anakin's return had inspired was dissolved in his withdrawal to his chamber. The Council asked little of Obi Wan's request to leave in less than three days, but as Shaak Ti had predicted, there was flat refusal in allowing Anakin to leave as well. Obi Wan didn't have the heart to tell the Council that they really didn't have a say.

Obi Wan stopped before a door. He reached up his hand to knock against the steel panel and then stopped himself. He stretched out through the force, and though he knew Anakin was in the room, he could not sense him. His friend had shut himself out from the Force, and Obi Wan realized it was the only way Anakin could find rest. Although there was much to discuss, he decided it was best to let the knight sleep. There would be plenty of time to talk when Anakin was more rested and hopefully more reasonable.

Turning away, Obi Wan moved down to the next chamber and sighed as the door slid open. Removing his outer robe, he took a seat on the cot and drawing a deep breath, he closed his eyes and opened himself to the force. At first it was difficult, like walking from the sand into the sea with storm driven waves crashing against him. Then as he waded into the deep of the Force, he found the swells were high and yet less driving. Here in the depths, he allowed himself to meditate. So much rose about him, yet he strained to listen to what the Force was whispering at its core.

As he struggled to listen to the guidance he so desperately needed, a vision came, unbidden and unexpected.

_Mountains fell under shadow, storm clouds blocked out the sun. An era was about to end and another was about to begin._

_Black ships approached from the east driving the dwindling numbers of white ships into the distance. The Haven was surrounded, and then there was only fire and ash._

_Padme ran down a corridor upon a planet he could not recognize. She reached an end and was unable to flee further. Turning bravely to face whatever pursued her, there was no fear in her eyes, only exhaustion. She looked older and weathered. Then suddenly her face changed. It was younger and somehow different. Similar to her face and yet not hers. With brown eyes and flowing brown hair, this young woman who so much resembled Padme, cried out, "HELP ME!"_

_A young man, in a likeness of Anakin, dared to rise up against the daunting odds. He was raw and untrained, though his power was great. He raced to the rescue of the young woman, but the darkness saw and fell upon him, engulfing him and the one he sought to rescue. There was an anguished cry, "NOOO!" Yet the cry came not from either of the enemy's prey._

_Anakin, with devastation etched across his face, looked upon all this, shadowed in darkness and bound in binders. Something terrible had happened, something that even he could not stop. The stars were fading and Anakin's silhouette blended into the darkness._

The vision began to fade, yet Obi Wan knew there must be more. With a sigh he opened his eyes and looked about the sparse room. He rested his chin on his hand, giving in to his confusing thoughts. Something in the force had shifted, and somehow all his efforts seemed fruitless. The future he was trying to protect Anakin and his children from somehow seemed to have changed. Or perhaps it had not changed at all. Perhaps this vision and the visions of Luke battling his father were part of the same whole. Perhaps it was just a new piece and a changed perspective, giving him the chance to understand and maybe even save those he desperately wanted to help.

Nothing had made sense lately. His reuniting with Anakin on Tatooine and all that had followed only seemed to cloud all he had thought was obvious. He let his mind drift back over the past few days, looking for some answer in the pattern of events and the strange visions. As he considered the events at the ruins of the Jedi Temple, just days before, his brow grew more furrowed. In that moment, Master Obi Wan Kenobi only felt more troubled.

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**There you go, hope you enjoyed it. **

**Coming Soon (in the next few days): Chapter 14 **


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